Douro Campaign Chair

This satin birch Douro Chair is distinctive for its use of a removable iron bar to hold the cushion in place.

Most of the London campaign furniture maker's offered a version of the Douro Chair and they were made from the middle of the 19th century into the 20th. It is known that both the Army & Navy Store and Hill & Millard made them with a similar bar to the top of the back. Although there is no maker's label, the reference 8 262 is stamped to the chair. It is known that the A&N CSL often stamped their work with a 4 digit number. The oil cloth cushion looks to be original and has extra padding for a head rest and to the small of the back to add comfort. It has also been purposely made too long to fold over the front edge to give more comfort to the back of the legs on the rail. The seat and back of the cushion are joined to stop them sliding out of position. It is interesting that the cushion is so tight to the leather arm straps. This makes it look slightly awkward but it does have the added effect of helping to keep the cushion in place. The back's incline can be adjusted by the replaced leather arm straps. This Douro has been well made with good turnings to the stretchers and arm posts and the timber a good colour. The size could be described as a little bigger than most we have seen. It is likely that it was originally sold with a packing case that formed a table and probably had both the maker's and owner's details to it.

Circa 1865.